Power Tower CRIVIT at Decathlon: turn your living room into a home gym for a stronger core

Spending hours sweating in a gym, paying for an expensive membership, queuing for machines - for many people, the very idea of a fitness studio is enough to make them give up before they begin. Even so, the aim of building a stronger, more defined physique keeps growing, especially around the stomach and core. That is exactly where a piece of kit currently causing a lot of chatter at Decathlon comes in: a compact Power Tower station that can turn your living room into a small training area - with no dumbbells and no high-tech machines.

Home training instead of gym hassle

Most people have lived the same cycle: you sign up full of enthusiasm in January, and by March you are barely going. The trip to the gym is annoying, the opening hours do not fit around real life, and someone is always parked on your favourite station. For plenty of people, the issue is not “lack of willpower” - it is the logistics.

Bodyweight training at home removes that friction. You work with your own bodyweight, need very little space, and can start whenever you have a spare moment. The Power Tower CRIVIT sold at Decathlon is built precisely around this idea. It is a multi-part station that lets you do pulling and pushing exercises for the upper body and core, without loading a single weight plate.

"The idea: one single piece of equipment that lets you train arms, back, chest and, above all, your midsection effectively - no subscription, no commute, no excuses."

What makes the Power Tower CRIVIT stand out

At its heart, the station is a solid tower with a set of grips, pads and supports. It is rated for a maximum user weight of up to 150 kilos, which is not a given at this price point. That helps heavier or stronger users feel secure while training.

Key parts of the build include:

• Adjustable back pad – supports the lower back during core work.
• Padded arm rests – ideal for leg raises and knee raises.
• Multiple grip options – narrow and wide grips for pull-ups and other pulling moves.
• Stable base – provides a firm footing, even during more intense movement.

A mounting kit and an exercise booklet are included. It may not sound exciting, but it is a big help for beginners: rather than piecing together a plan from random YouTube videos, you get a few structured training ideas straight away.

Which muscle groups you can train with one station

One of the tower’s biggest advantages is that you do not need five separate machines. Many classic gym exercises can be replicated on the station - and in some cases they are even tougher, because you are working with your own bodyweight.

Exercise	Primary muscle	Supporting areas
Pull-ups	Upper back, latissimus	Biceps, forearms, core tension
Dips	Triceps	Chest, front shoulder
Hanging leg raises	Lower and side abdominals	Hip flexors, grip strength
Supported knee raises	Rectus abdominis	Core stability, hips
Oblique variations	Side abdominals	Waist, lower back

For the stomach area in particular, hanging leg raises - either from the bar or using the arm supports - provide a very intense stimulus. They target deeper muscle layers that standard floor crunches often fail to reach.

Belly fat: why a tower cannot perform miracles on its own

The manufacturer does not promise magic results, but user reviews still sound very positive. On Decathlon’s platform, the device scores around 4.5 out of 5 stars. Several buyers praise the sturdy construction, the clear instructions, and the feeling of having a “proper” gym alternative standing in the living room.

"If you stick with it, regular training and the right nutrition can visibly reduce your waistline - the tower provides the tool, you do the rest."

It is still worth being blunt: no piece of equipment on earth burns only belly fat in isolation. Your body loses fat generally, not precisely from one chosen spot. What the station can do is this:

• It builds core musculature - more muscle mass increases your basal metabolic rate.
• It challenges large muscle groups (back, chest, arms) - which burns a meaningful amount of calories.
• It helps your outline look more defined once body fat drops.

If you treat the tower as a “miracle machine to lose your belly”, you will be disappointed. If you train on it 2–4 times per week and adjust your diet at the same time, you have a genuine chance of noticing your waistband loosening.

What a realistic training plan could look like

Especially for working people or parents, the available time window is often small. That is where a compact full-body routine on the station makes sense. Here is an example of a 30-minute beginner plan:

Day A – Upper body & core focus

• 5–8 assisted pull-ups (using a stool or a jump start), 3 sets
• 8–10 dips with foot support, 3 sets
• 10–12 supported knee raises for the abs, 3 sets
• Plank on the floor, 3 × 30 seconds

Day B – Core & technique focus

• 3–4 sets of negative holds at the top pull-up position (hold at the top, lower slowly)
• Side knee raises in the arm rests, 8–10 reps per side, 3 sets
• Close support hold on the grips, 3 × 10–12 reps

You might train on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, alternating Day A and Day B. Over time, you can increase the total volume, or add extra load - for example, with a weighted vest.

Stable, compact, living-room friendly?

A common criticism of home gym gear is that it looks bulky and feels wobbly. Many buyers praise Decathlon’s tower station for the opposite. Comments like “feels robust and stable” appear repeatedly in the reviews. One user weighing 80 kilos reports that the device does not sway even during intense sessions.

Visually, a Power Tower is still a piece of training equipment in your room. If you live in a small flat, measure up first to ensure you have enough ceiling height and floor space. The upside: the station is much narrower than a full rack with a barbell bench, needs no weight plates, and does not have to be awkwardly packed away.

Why bodyweight training is so effective for the stomach

Many people associate ab training with quick floor moves and “six-pack in 30 days” challenges. Reality is more straightforward: strong abs usually come from complex movements where the whole body must stabilise.

This is where a pull-up and dip station shines. Even a strict pull-up demands your entire midsection, because you have to actively lengthen, brace and control any swinging. With leg raises you work dynamically against gravity; the hip flexors assist, while the obliques keep the pelvis positioned.

"Anyone who trains regularly on a station like this quickly realises the core is not just ‘helping out’ - it becomes the control centre of the movement."

The benefit goes beyond appearance: a stable midsection reduces strain on the spine, improves posture and balance, and lowers the risk of everyday back pain. People with desk jobs in particular gain from a core that can do more than just sit.

What else to consider alongside the equipment

To genuinely shift belly fat, it is not enough to focus on a single piece of kit. A few practical levers strongly influence your results:

• Nutrition: a slight calorie deficit, plenty of protein, fewer heavily processed foods.
• Daily life: more movement outside training - stairs instead of the lift, short journeys on foot.
• Recovery: enough sleep, rest days between hard sessions.
• Combination: two tower sessions, plus one additional cardio session per week (e.g. running, cycling).

If you have health limitations - for example shoulder issues or significant excess weight - speak to a doctor or physiotherapist before starting. Overhead movements in particular require healthy joints and clean technique.

For everyone else, the Power Tower CRIVIT can be a very direct way to get going: once it is assembled, it is there in your living space, gently nagging but also motivating you. And often that daily visual reminder is enough to squeeze in ten minutes in the evening - and it is exactly those small, consistent sessions that reshape your midsection over the long term.

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